Ratha Yatra (Car festival):-
The chariot of Lord Jagannath, known as 'Nandighose', is 23 cubits high and has 18 wheels. The chariot of Balabhadra, which is 22 cubits in height and has 16 wheels, is named 'Taladwaja'. 'Devadalan' the chariot of Subhadra, is 21 cubits in height and has 14 wheels.
The Car Festival is held on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Asadha (June-July). It continues for 9days i.e. from the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Asadha to 10th day of the bright fortnight. The 2nd day is known as Sri Gundicha, when the deities are brought from the main temple in a procession called Pahandi to the cars and are pulled down to the Gundicha Temple by the devotees. On the 10th day the devotees are returned to the main temple sitting on their respective cars being taken in a procession from Gundicha Temple which is called Bahuda. The cars of the deities in which they travel are designed in a specific style. Every year new logs of wood are procured from Daspalla forest for the construction of cars. The construction starts from the 3rd day of the bright fortnight of Baisakha (May) and are completed a day before the car festival. They are built by a specific skilled group of carpenters, who are well trained as per their family tradition
The name of the car of Ballabhadra is Taladhwaja, Subhadra Devadalana and Jagannath Nandighosh. The style of cars is the same as that of main temple. On the day of Car Festival the Cars/Rathas are consecrated by the Temple Priest. The deities after morning meals are ascended to the cars by colorful procession called Pahandi Bije. After they seated in the cars. The King of Puri performs the sweeping ceremony in the chariots holding golden broom sticks and sprinking sandle paste water after cleaning. Then horses are tied in the cars the color of horses on Balabhdra car is Black, Subhadra is Red and Jagannath is White. The ropes are also tied to the cars and devotees are allowed to draw the chars with chanting of Hari’s Name, bitting of drums, trumpet and ghanta. The cars are pulled down to Gundicha Temple. It is said that one can get the benefit of 100years visit of the Lord in the main temple by just looking once in the Gundicha Temple on the day before the return festival.
This festival is held on Asadha Sukla Dwitiya i.e. the second day of bright fortnight of Asadha (June-July) every year.This festival is also known as Sri Gundicha yatra and Ghosha yatra. As per the prevailing tradition,Gundich was the Rani (queen) of Raja Indradyumna, the legendary builder of the first temple. She had initiated this grand
festival.
Nabakalebar:-
Another important festival of Lord Jagannath is Nabakalebar. (new body celebration). The deities are made from log of woods. These wood logs in every 8-19years in the month of Asadha (June-July) when a leap year fall in the same month as per the lunar calendar. The process for the collection of new logs starts from the 10th day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra (March). The Raja of Puri considered as the hereditary of king Indradumna appoint Brahmin pundits, a group temple servitors and daitas, who are quite knowledgeable in the collection of the log to be fit for the construction of deities also known as the hereditary of Viswavasu Sabar, who was worshiping Neela Madhab. After blessings of Maa Mangala of Kakatpur all servitors proceed to different directions to select Nim trees as per the prescriptions of Shastra’s. The Brahmin pundits perform Yanja near each selected trees. Then after trees are cut, and four big logs are brought for four deities wrapped with silken clothes in specially built carts to Puri and kept in Koili Baikunta. The Daitas observe a mourning for 10days as kith and kins of the Lord because of change of old body of the deities as it happens with the case of death of a person in Hindu family. On the 13th day they offer Mahaprasad to Brahmins and get purifieds. After that the process of repair of new deities are continued and completed on the new moon day of Asadha. It may be noted here that the process of change of body takes place only in the month of Asadha when it is having a length of 60days. On the 15th days of the dark fortnight of Asadha the new deities appear before the devotees dressed with Pata Bashtra (Siliken Clothes). This is called Navajauvan Vesha (the youthful decoration of the Lord).On the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Asadha the new deities climb on the Cars and proceed to Gundicha Temple.
Basant Panchami:
This festival is observed differently in the temple of Jagannath. As this festival marks the advent of the spring season with winter receding, the warm clothings of the three deities are removed and they are again clad in saffron-colour clothes. A special variety of cake is prepared and offered to the deities which is known as 'Basantapistaka' (cake of the spring). Thereafter, a peculiar festival continues from this day to Dola Purnami in which the representative deity of Lord Jagannath Ramachandra goes out hunting. This part of the festival is known as 'Benta Yatra'. The deity eceives a bow and an arrow made out of split-bamboos from Budha Lenda and goes to Bentapokhari (a pond) situated in the campus of the Jagannath Ballav Math which is very close to the temple. There the deity shoots arrows to a bundle of cocoanuts and Kasturi which represent a deer.
The chariot of Lord Jagannath, known as 'Nandighose', is 23 cubits high and has 18 wheels. The chariot of Balabhadra, which is 22 cubits in height and has 16 wheels, is named 'Taladwaja'. 'Devadalan' the chariot of Subhadra, is 21 cubits in height and has 14 wheels.
The Car Festival is held on the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Asadha (June-July). It continues for 9days i.e. from the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Asadha to 10th day of the bright fortnight. The 2nd day is known as Sri Gundicha, when the deities are brought from the main temple in a procession called Pahandi to the cars and are pulled down to the Gundicha Temple by the devotees. On the 10th day the devotees are returned to the main temple sitting on their respective cars being taken in a procession from Gundicha Temple which is called Bahuda. The cars of the deities in which they travel are designed in a specific style. Every year new logs of wood are procured from Daspalla forest for the construction of cars. The construction starts from the 3rd day of the bright fortnight of Baisakha (May) and are completed a day before the car festival. They are built by a specific skilled group of carpenters, who are well trained as per their family traditionThe name of the car of Ballabhadra is Taladhwaja, Subhadra Devadalana and Jagannath Nandighosh. The style of cars is the same as that of main temple. On the day of Car Festival the Cars/Rathas are consecrated by the Temple Priest. The deities after morning meals are ascended to the cars by colorful procession called Pahandi Bije. After they seated in the cars. The King of Puri performs the sweeping ceremony in the chariots holding golden broom sticks and sprinking sandle paste water after cleaning. Then horses are tied in the cars the color of horses on Balabhdra car is Black, Subhadra is Red and Jagannath is White. The ropes are also tied to the cars and devotees are allowed to draw the chars with chanting of Hari’s Name, bitting of drums, trumpet and ghanta. The cars are pulled down to Gundicha Temple. It is said that one can get the benefit of 100years visit of the Lord in the main temple by just looking once in the Gundicha Temple on the day before the return festival.
This festival is held on Asadha Sukla Dwitiya i.e. the second day of bright fortnight of Asadha (June-July) every year.This festival is also known as Sri Gundicha yatra and Ghosha yatra. As per the prevailing tradition,Gundich was the Rani (queen) of Raja Indradyumna, the legendary builder of the first temple. She had initiated this grand
festival.
Nabakalebar:-
Another important festival of Lord Jagannath is Nabakalebar. (new body celebration). The deities are made from log of woods. These wood logs in every 8-19years in the month of Asadha (June-July) when a leap year fall in the same month as per the lunar calendar. The process for the collection of new logs starts from the 10th day of the bright fortnight of Chaitra (March). The Raja of Puri considered as the hereditary of king Indradumna appoint Brahmin pundits, a group temple servitors and daitas, who are quite knowledgeable in the collection of the log to be fit for the construction of deities also known as the hereditary of Viswavasu Sabar, who was worshiping Neela Madhab. After blessings of Maa Mangala of Kakatpur all servitors proceed to different directions to select Nim trees as per the prescriptions of Shastra’s. The Brahmin pundits perform Yanja near each selected trees. Then after trees are cut, and four big logs are brought for four deities wrapped with silken clothes in specially built carts to Puri and kept in Koili Baikunta. The Daitas observe a mourning for 10days as kith and kins of the Lord because of change of old body of the deities as it happens with the case of death of a person in Hindu family. On the 13th day they offer Mahaprasad to Brahmins and get purifieds. After that the process of repair of new deities are continued and completed on the new moon day of Asadha. It may be noted here that the process of change of body takes place only in the month of Asadha when it is having a length of 60days. On the 15th days of the dark fortnight of Asadha the new deities appear before the devotees dressed with Pata Bashtra (Siliken Clothes). This is called Navajauvan Vesha (the youthful decoration of the Lord).On the 2nd day of the bright fortnight of Asadha the new deities climb on the Cars and proceed to Gundicha Temple.
Basant Panchami:
This festival is observed differently in the temple of Jagannath. As this festival marks the advent of the spring season with winter receding, the warm clothings of the three deities are removed and they are again clad in saffron-colour clothes. A special variety of cake is prepared and offered to the deities which is known as 'Basantapistaka' (cake of the spring). Thereafter, a peculiar festival continues from this day to Dola Purnami in which the representative deity of Lord Jagannath Ramachandra goes out hunting. This part of the festival is known as 'Benta Yatra'. The deity eceives a bow and an arrow made out of split-bamboos from Budha Lenda and goes to Bentapokhari (a pond) situated in the campus of the Jagannath Ballav Math which is very close to the temple. There the deity shoots arrows to a bundle of cocoanuts and Kasturi which represent a deer.
Chitou Amavasya:-
Chitalagi or Chitou Amavasya is one such festival which falls on the new-moon day of the sravana (August). On this day, in the temple of Jagannath, the deity bears a golden mark (chita) on the forehead. A special variety of rice-cake known as Chitou pitha is given to the deity as food-offering. This variety is also prepared in every household of the Oriyas of the coastal districts.
Chandan Yatra:-
Chandan Yatra marks the conclusion of the cycle of religious festivals observed in the famous shrine of Lord Jagannth at Puri followed by similar other shrines of Odisha (Formerly Orissa). The festival, starting from Akshyaya Trutiya, lasts for twenty-one days and is held in the month of Baisakh at the height of the summer heat when Chandan (sandle-paste) and water are essential to keep people cool.
he first period known as "Bahar Chandan" or outer Chandan. During this period, the representative images of Rama, Krishna, Madanmohan, Laxmi and Biswadhatri at taken in a procession to Narendra tank. Also images of Siva from 5 Shiva Temples known as "Pancha Pandavas" accompany them in a Procession in the Narendra tank, the images play in well decorated boats and are worshipped. The second period of 21 days known as "Bhitar Chandana" is celebrated inside the Temple. The rites observed on this period are not popularly enjoyed.
Snana Yatra:-
It is popularly known as the Deba Snana Purnima. This is the first occasion in the course of an year when the deities i.e; the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra along with the image of Sudarshana are ceremonially brought out from the sanctum in a procession to the Snana-vedi (Bathing pandal). This special pandal in the temple precinct of Puri is celled Snana Mandap. It is at such a height that visitors standing
outside the temple also get a glimpse of the deities. After Mangala Alati, the Suaras and Mahasuaras go in a ceremonial peocession to fetch water from Suna Kua (Golden well) in one hundred and thirty, vessels of copper. All of them cover their mouths with a piece of cloth. Then all the vessels filled with water are preserved in the Bhoga Mandapa. The Palla pandas (a class of Brahms priests) then purify the water with Haridra, Jaba, Benachera, Chandan, Aguru, flowers, perfumes and medicinal herbs.
Snana Bedi located in the NorthEastern corner of the outer compound. The deities are bathed there with 108 pitchers of water from a well near the Northen Gate. Here, Jagannath and Balabhadra are dressed like Lord Ganesh of the purans with the head of an elephant.
Sayan Ekaadasee:-
This is also known as the Hari Sayan Ekaadasee. This takes place in the month of Ashaadha, after the completion of ‘Return-Ceremony' of the Lords, from the Gundhichaa Ghar. On this occasion, the images of the Vasudeva, Bhubaneswaree, and Narayana are taken in a procession to the Chariots. After some temple rites are performed there, these images are taken to the ‘chamber of slumber' for enjoying complete rest.
Rukmini Harana Ekadasi:-
Marriage of Lord Krushna and Goddess Rukmini is celebrated on Jyeshtha Sukla
Ekadasi i.e. the 11th day of bright fortnight of Jyeshtha (May-June). On this occasion, the marriage is held
between Lord Madana Mohana as Lord Krushna and Goddess Lakshmi as Goddess Rukmini.
Damanaka Chaturdasi:-
This falls in the month of Chaitra. On this day, the deities pay a visit to the garden of the celebrated Jagannath Vallabha Matha where they pick-up the tender leaves of the Dayanaa unnoticed by anybody.
Deva Utthapana Ekadashee:-
Deva Utthapana Ekadashee takes place on the 11th day of the bright-fortnight of the month of Kartika. It is a very sacred day for the Hindus and special rites are performed in the Temple that day.
Paarshwa Parivartana:-
Paarshwa Parivartana Ekadashee takes place in the month of Bhadrapada. Special rites are performed on this occasion.
Pravarana Shashthee:-
Pravarana Shashthee takes place in the month of Margashirsha. This is locally known as Odhana Shashthee and special rites are performed in the temple.
Dola Yatra:-
This is Celebrated from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of Falguna up to the full moon day. The representative deities Dologobinda, Bhudevi and Sreedevi are taken in a procession to Dolabedi located outside the outer compound wall of the main Temple and special rites are performed.
Niladri Mahodaya:-
It is celebrated on the eighth day of the bright fortnight of Baisakha (AprilMay). It is stated that on that day Lord Jagannath was first worshipped in this Kshetra. On this occasion, 108 pots of consecrated water are offered to the deities. Thus, a special abhisek (bath) is performed for the deities.
Nrusingha Janma:-
Birthday of Lord Nrusingha is observed on Baisakha Sukla Chaturdasi i.e.the 14th day of the bright fortnight of Baisakha (April-May). The image of Lord Nrusingha is taken to the Jagannath Ballabha Matha, where special nitis are performed.
Sitala Sashthi:-
Marriage of Lord Siva and Goddess Parbati is observed on Jyestha Sukla Sasthi i.e. the sixth day of bright fortnight of Jyeshtha (May-June). On this occasion, Goddess Lakshmi welcomes the newly married couple in her temple.
Rajendrabhiseka:-
It is celebrated on Jyeshtha Sukla Dasami i.e. the 10th day of the bright or night of Jyeshtha (May-June).
Champaka Dwadasi:-
It is celebrated on Jyeshtha Sukla Dwadasi i.e. the 12th day or on the next day of Rukmini Harana Ekadasi.
he first period known as "Bahar Chandan" or outer Chandan. During this period, the representative images of Rama, Krishna, Madanmohan, Laxmi and Biswadhatri at taken in a procession to Narendra tank. Also images of Siva from 5 Shiva Temples known as "Pancha Pandavas" accompany them in a Procession in the Narendra tank, the images play in well decorated boats and are worshipped. The second period of 21 days known as "Bhitar Chandana" is celebrated inside the Temple. The rites observed on this period are not popularly enjoyed.
Snana Yatra:-
It is popularly known as the Deba Snana Purnima. This is the first occasion in the course of an year when the deities i.e; the images of Jagannath, Balabhadra and Subhadra along with the image of Sudarshana are ceremonially brought out from the sanctum in a procession to the Snana-vedi (Bathing pandal). This special pandal in the temple precinct of Puri is celled Snana Mandap. It is at such a height that visitors standing outside the temple also get a glimpse of the deities. After Mangala Alati, the Suaras and Mahasuaras go in a ceremonial peocession to fetch water from Suna Kua (Golden well) in one hundred and thirty, vessels of copper. All of them cover their mouths with a piece of cloth. Then all the vessels filled with water are preserved in the Bhoga Mandapa. The Palla pandas (a class of Brahms priests) then purify the water with Haridra, Jaba, Benachera, Chandan, Aguru, flowers, perfumes and medicinal herbs.
Snana Bedi located in the NorthEastern corner of the outer compound. The deities are bathed there with 108 pitchers of water from a well near the Northen Gate. Here, Jagannath and Balabhadra are dressed like Lord Ganesh of the purans with the head of an elephant.
Sayan Ekaadasee:-
This is also known as the Hari Sayan Ekaadasee. This takes place in the month of Ashaadha, after the completion of ‘Return-Ceremony' of the Lords, from the Gundhichaa Ghar. On this occasion, the images of the Vasudeva, Bhubaneswaree, and Narayana are taken in a procession to the Chariots. After some temple rites are performed there, these images are taken to the ‘chamber of slumber' for enjoying complete rest.
Rukmini Harana Ekadasi:-
Marriage of Lord Krushna and Goddess Rukmini is celebrated on Jyeshtha Sukla
Ekadasi i.e. the 11th day of bright fortnight of Jyeshtha (May-June). On this occasion, the marriage is held
between Lord Madana Mohana as Lord Krushna and Goddess Lakshmi as Goddess Rukmini.
Damanaka Chaturdasi:-
This falls in the month of Chaitra. On this day, the deities pay a visit to the garden of the celebrated Jagannath Vallabha Matha where they pick-up the tender leaves of the Dayanaa unnoticed by anybody.
Deva Utthapana Ekadashee:-
Deva Utthapana Ekadashee takes place on the 11th day of the bright-fortnight of the month of Kartika. It is a very sacred day for the Hindus and special rites are performed in the Temple that day.
Paarshwa Parivartana:-
Paarshwa Parivartana Ekadashee takes place in the month of Bhadrapada. Special rites are performed on this occasion.
Pravarana Shashthee:-
Pravarana Shashthee takes place in the month of Margashirsha. This is locally known as Odhana Shashthee and special rites are performed in the temple.
Dola Yatra:-
This is Celebrated from the tenth day of the bright fortnight of Falguna up to the full moon day. The representative deities Dologobinda, Bhudevi and Sreedevi are taken in a procession to Dolabedi located outside the outer compound wall of the main Temple and special rites are performed.
Niladri Mahodaya:-
It is celebrated on the eighth day of the bright fortnight of Baisakha (AprilMay). It is stated that on that day Lord Jagannath was first worshipped in this Kshetra. On this occasion, 108 pots of consecrated water are offered to the deities. Thus, a special abhisek (bath) is performed for the deities.
Nrusingha Janma:-
Birthday of Lord Nrusingha is observed on Baisakha Sukla Chaturdasi i.e.the 14th day of the bright fortnight of Baisakha (April-May). The image of Lord Nrusingha is taken to the Jagannath Ballabha Matha, where special nitis are performed.
Sitala Sashthi:-
Marriage of Lord Siva and Goddess Parbati is observed on Jyestha Sukla Sasthi i.e. the sixth day of bright fortnight of Jyeshtha (May-June). On this occasion, Goddess Lakshmi welcomes the newly married couple in her temple.
Rajendrabhiseka:-
It is celebrated on Jyeshtha Sukla Dasami i.e. the 10th day of the bright or night of Jyeshtha (May-June).
Champaka Dwadasi:-
It is celebrated on Jyeshtha Sukla Dwadasi i.e. the 12th day or on the next day of Rukmini Harana Ekadasi.
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